Editorial: Long story short

Published 9:57 pm, Saturday, February 23, 2013

Talk about falling through the cracks. A cruel technicality sends thousands of elderly people home from the hospital after being denied Medicare coverage for physical rehabilitation.

Medicare will pay for their hospitalization only if they're officially admitted for at least three days, not merely kept for what's known as observation.

For Isadore "Ike" Cassuto, 88, of Columbia County, that obtuse difference cost $6,000. Medicare wouldn't pay for the four days at St. Peter's Hospital and three weeks in rehab he needed for a broken pelvis.

That will change, mercifully, if legislation co-sponsored by Sen. Chuck Schumer makes it into law. It can't happen soon enough.

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It's been a heart-wrenching story — four mixed-breed pit bulls left in a rental truck in frigid weather by a suspected serial dog abuser already accused of nailing three puppies to railroad tracks in Arbor Hill.

No doubt some kind hearts will adopt the survivors. But a truly heartwarming end to this story would be for state lawmakers to pass Assemblyman Jim Tedisco's bills to ban animal abusers from ever owning a pet again. Mr. Tedisco, R-Glenville, also wants a statewide registry of abusers so that pet stores and individuals can check on whether potential buyers have a history of mistreating animals.

Similar legislation passed the Senate last year. This year, both chambers should do it.

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This dreary, late winter weekend has us dreaming of summer and next year's season of Park Playhouse, which has been offering free theater in Albany's Washington Park for 25 years now.

And Park Playhouse is suddenly more financially secure than ever, thanks to a $25,000 gift from Albany Medical Center. The highlight of last season was, depending on how one views the arts, either the performances of "Cabaret" and "Hairspray" — which attracted nightly audiences of 1,600 — or the fact that Park Playhouse finally broke even.

With "Monty Python's Spamalot" and "Shrek: The Musical" on tap this year, and with Albany Med's help, we'd bet on repeat performances.